The Jews of Königsberg at the turn of the 20th century
Zionism - the idea is moving
Zionism
Quite early on a Zionist Association was formed in Königsberg in which advocates became involved. The group was actively led by the grain merchant Menachem Sambursky. In 1896 Sambursky had come to Königsberg from the region of Tschernigow and started his family. He began keeping a diary in Hebrew, which he continued until his death. He also pasted newspaper clippings onto the pages of the book; the snippets recorded the lists of benefactors to the Zionist association.
Letterheads of the “Königsberg Zionist Association”
The page from the diary of Menachem Sambursky with the list of benefactors to the Zionist Association, 1912
Menachem, Samuel and Nissan Elieser Sambursky 1906. The father was passing through on his trip from Ukraine to New York, where he immigrated.
Director's Cut
The pop-up of a Königsberg diary from 1897 to 1935 from America in Israel
In preparation for the exhibition, a call came from the granddaughter Ofra: What to do with the handwritten diary of my grandfather Menachem? We met in Israel, helped with the scientific processing and visited Kaliningrad together, there the former Selke street, the address of her family.
A strong German and Zionist identity in Königsberg, there was internal correspondence with other cities and the invitation to circumcision illustrates the mix of two identities in text form.
